Regulation DD Truth in Savings - Federal Reserve System

[Pages:45]Regulation DD

Truth in Savings

Background

Regulation DD (12 CFR 230), which implements the Truth in Savings Act (TISA), became effective in June 1993. An official staff commentary interprets the requirements of Regulation DD (12 CFR 230 (Supplement I)). Since then, several amendments have been made to Regulation DD and the Staff Commentary, including changes, effective July 1, 2006, to address concerns about the uniformity and adequacy of information provided to consumers when they overdraw their deposit accounts.

The purpose of Regulation DD is to enable consumers to make informed decisions about their accounts at depository institutions through the use of uniform disclosures. The disclosures aid comparison shopping by informing consumers about the fees, annual percentage yield, interest rate, and other terms for deposit accounts. A consumer is entitled to receive disclosures about his or her account: ? when an account is opened; ? upon request; ? when the terms of the account are changed; ? when a periodic statement is sent; and ? for most time accounts, before the account matures.

The regulation also includes requirements on the payment of interest, the methods of calculating the balance on which interest is paid, the calculation of the annual-percentage yield, and advertising.

Coverage (? 230.1)

Regulation DD applies to all depository institutions, except credit unions, that offer deposit accounts to residents of any state. Branches of foreign institutions located in the United States are subject to Regulation DD if they offer deposit accounts to consumers. Edge Act and agreement corporations, and agencies of foreign institutions, are not depository institutions for purposes of Regulation DD.

In addition, persons who advertise accounts are subject to the advertising rules. For example, if a deposit broker places an advertisement offering consumers an interest in an account at a depository institution, the advertising rules apply to the advertisement, whether the account is to be held by the broker or directly by the consumer.

Definitions (? 230.2)

Section 230.2 defines key terms used in Regulation DD. Among those definitions are the following:

Account (? 230.2(a))

An account is a deposit account at a depository institution that is held by or offered to a consumer. It includes time, demand, savings, and negotiable order of withdrawal

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accounts. Regulation DD covers interest-bearing as well as noninterest-bearing accounts.

Advertisement (? 230.2(b))

An advertisement is a commercial message, appearing in any medium, that promotes directly or indirectly (a) the availability or terms of, or a deposit in, a new account, and (b) for purposes of sections 230.8(a) (misleading or inaccurate advertisements) and 230.11 (additional disclosure requirements for institutions advertising the payment of overdrafts), the terms of, or a deposit in, a new or existing account. An advertisement includes a commercial message in visual, oral, or print media that invites, offers, or otherwise announces generally to prospective customers the availability or terms of, or a deposit in, a consumer account. Examples of advertisements include telephone solicitations and messages on automated teller machine screens.

Annual percentage yield (? 230.2(c))

An annual percentage yield is a percentage rate reflecting the total amount of interest paid on an account, based on the interest rate and the frequency of compounding for a 365-day period or 366-day period during leap years and calculated according to the rules in Appendix A of Regulation DD. Interest or other earnings are not to be included in the annual percentage yield if the circumstances for determining the interest and other earnings may or may not occur in the future.

Average daily balance method (? 230.2(d))

The average daily balance method is the application of a periodic rate to the average daily balance in the account for the period. The average daily balance is determined by adding the full amount of principal in the account for each day of the period and dividing that figure by the number of days in the period.

Board (? 230.2(e))

The Board means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

Bonus (? 230.2(f))

A bonus is a premium, gift, award, or other consideration worth more than $10 (whether in the form of cash, credit, merchandise, or any equivalent) given or offered to a consumer during a year in exchange for opening, maintaining, renewing, or increasing an account balance. The term does not include interest, other consideration worth $10 or less given during a year, the waiver or reduction of a fee, or the absorption of expenses.

Business day (? 230.2(g))

A business day is a calendar day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or any of the legal public holidays specified in 5 USC ? 6103(a).

Consumer (? 230.2(h))

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A consumer is a natural person who holds an account primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, or to whom such an account is offered. The term does not include accounts held by a natural person on behalf of another in a professional capacity or accounts held by individuals as sole proprietors.

Daily balance method (? 230.2(i))

The daily balance method is the application of a daily periodic rate to the full amount of principal in the account each day.

Depository institution (? 230.2(j)) A depository institution and an institution are institutions defined in section 19(b)(1)(A)(i)-(vi) of the Federal Reserve Act (12 USC 461), except credit unions defined in section 19(b)(1)(A)(iv). Branches of foreign institutions located in the United States are subject to the regulation if they offer deposit accounts to consumers. Edge Act and agreement corporations, and agencies of foreign institutions, are not depository institutions for purposes of this regulation.

Deposit broker (? 230.2(k))

A deposit broker is a person who is in the business of placing or facilitating the placement of deposits in an institution, as defined by section 29(g) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 USC ? 1831f(g))

Fixed-rate account (? 230.2(l))

A fixed-rate account is an account for which the institution contracts to give at least 30 calendar days' advance written notice of decreases in the interest rate.

Grace period (? 230.2(m))

A grace period is a period following the maturity of an automatically renewing time account during which the consumer may withdraw funds without being assessed a penalty.

Interest (? 230.2(n))

Interest is any payment to a consumer or to an account for the use of funds in an account, calculated by applying a periodic rate to the balance. Interest does not include the payment of a bonus or other consideration worth $10 or less during a year, the waiver or reduction of a fee, or the absorption of expenses.

Interest rate (? 230.2(o))

An interest rate is the annual rate of interest paid on an account and does not reflect compounding. For purposes of the account disclosures in section 230.4(b)(1)(i), the interest rate may, but need not, be referred to as the "annual percentage rate" in addition to being referred to as the "interest rate."

Passbook savings account (? 230.2(p))

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A passbook savings account is a savings account in which the consumer retains a book or other document in which the institution records transactions on the account. Passbook savings accounts include accounts accessed by preauthorized electronic fund transfers to the account. As defined in Regulation E, a preauthorized electronic fund transfer is an electronic fund transfer authorized in advance to recur at substantially regular intervals. Examples include an account that receives direct deposit of Social Security payments. Accounts permitting access by other electronic means are not passbook savings accounts and must comply with the requirements of section 230.6 if statements are sent four or more times a year.

Periodic statement (? 230.2(q))

A periodic statement is a statement setting forth information about an account (other than a time account or passbook savings account) that is provided to a consumer on a regular basis four or more times a year.

State (? 230.2(r))

A state is a state, the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States.

Stepped-rate account (? 230.2(s))

A stepped-rate account is an account that has two or more interest rates that take effect in succeeding periods and are known when the account is opened.

Tiered-rate account (? 230.2(t))

A tiered-rate account is an account that has two or more interest rates that are applicable to specified balance levels. A requirement to maintain a minimum balance to earn interest does not make an account a tiered-rate account.

Time account (? 230.2(u))

A time account is an account with a maturity of at least seven days in which the consumer generally does not have a right to make withdrawals for six days after the account is opened, unless the deposit is subject to an early withdrawal penalty of at least seven days' interest on the amount withdrawn.

Variable-rate account (? 230.2(v))

A variable-rate account is an account in which the interest rate may change after the account is opened, unless the institution contracts to give at least 30 calendar days' advance written notice of rate decreases.

General disclosure requirements (? 230.3) General requirements (? 230.3(a) and (b))

Section 230.3 outlines the general requirements for account disclosures and periodicstatement disclosures. Such disclosures are required to be: ? clear and conspicuous ? in writing

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? in a form the consumer may keep ? clearly identifiable for different accounts, if disclosures for different accounts are

combined ? reflective of the terms of the legal obligation of the account agreement between the

consumer and the depository institution, ? available in English upon request if the disclosures are made in languages other than

English, and ? consistent in terminology when describing terms or features that are required to be

disclosed.

Relation to Regulation E (? 230.3(c))

Disclosures required by and provided in accordance with the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (15 USC ?1693 et seq.) and its implementing Regulation E (12 CFR 205) that are also required by Regulation DD may be substituted for the disclosures required by this regulation. Compliance with Regulation E (12 CFR 205) is deemed to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Regulation DD, such as when-- ? an institution changes a term that triggers a notice under Regulation E, and uses the

timing and disclosure rules of Regulation E for sending change-in-term notices

? consumers add an ATM access feature to an account, and the institution provides disclosures pursuant to Regulation E, including disclosure of fees (see 12 CFR 205.7)

? an institution, complying with the timing rules of Regulation E, discloses at the same time fees for electronic services (such as for balance inquiry fees at ATMs) required to be disclosed by this regulation but not by Regulation E

? an institution relies on Regulation E's rules regarding disclosure of limitations on the frequency and amount of electronic fund transfers, including security-related exceptions. But any limitations on intra-institutional transfers to or from the consumer's other accounts during a given time period must be disclosed, even though intra-institutional transfers are exempt from Regulation E.

Other requirements (? 230.3(d) - (f))

Other general disclosure requirements include the following:

Multiple consumers (? 230.3(d)) If an account is held by more than one consumer, disclosures may be made to any one of the consumers.

Oral response to inquiries (? 230.3(e)) If an institution chooses to provide rate information orally, it must state the annual percentage yield and may state the interest rate. However, the institution may not state any other rate. The advertising rules do not cover an oral response to a rate inquiry.

Rounding and accuracy rules for rates and yields (? 230.3(f))

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The rounding and accuracy requirements are as follows: ? Rounding -- The annual percentage yield, the annual percentage yield earned, and the

interest rate must be rounded to the nearest one-hundredth of one percentage point (.01%) and expressed to two decimal places. (For account disclosures, the interest rate may be expressed to more than two decimal places.) For example, if an annual percentage yield is calculated at 5.644 percent, it must be rounded down and disclosed as 5.64 percent, or if annual percentage yield is calculated at 5.645 percent, it must be rounded up and disclosed as 5.65 percent.

Accuracy -- The annual percentage yield (and the annual percentage yield earned) will be considered accurate if they are not more that one-twentieth of one percentage point (.05 percent) above or below the annual percentage yield (and the annual percentage yield earned) that are calculated in accordance with Appendix A of Regulation DD.

Account disclosures (? 230.4)

Section 230.4 covers the delivery and content of account disclosures both at the time an account is open and when requested by a consumer.

Delivery of account disclosures (? 230.4(a))

Disclosures at account opening (? 230.4(a)(1)) A depository institution must provide account disclosures to a consumer before an account is opened or a service is provided, whichever is earlier. (An institution is deemed to have provided a service when a fee, required to be disclosed, is assessed.) An institution must mail or deliver the account opening disclosures no later than ten business days after the account is opened or the service is provided, whichever is earlier, if the consumer: ? is not present when the account is opened or the service is provided, and ? has not received the disclosures.

Disclosures upon request (? 230.4(a)(2)) A depository institution must provide account disclosures to a consumer upon request. A response to an oral inquiry (by telephone or in person) about rates and yields or fees does not trigger the duty to provide account disclosures.

If a consumer is not present when the request is made, the institution must mail or deliver the disclosures within a reasonable time after it receives the request. Ten business days is considered a reasonable time for responding to requests for account information that a consumer does not make in person.

When providing disclosures upon the request of a consumer, the institution has several choices of how to specify the interest rate and annual percentage yield. The institution may disclose the rate and yield offered: ? within the most recent seven calendar days, ? as of an identified date, or ? currently by providing a telephone number for consumers to call.

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Further, when providing disclosures upon the request of a consumer, the institution may state the maturity of a time account as a term rather than a date. Describing the maturity of a time account as "1 year" or "6 months," for example, illustrates a statement of the maturity as a term rather than a date ("January 10, 1995").

Content of account disclosures (? 230.4(b))

Account disclosures must include, as applicable, information on the following (see Appendix A and B of Regulation DD for information on the annual percentage yield calculation and for model clauses for account disclosures and sample forms):

Rate information (? 230.4(b)(1)) An institution must disclose both the "annual percentage yield" and the "interest rate," using those terms.

For fixed-rate accounts, an institution must disclose the period of time that the interest rate will be in effect.

For variable-rate accounts, an institution must disclose the following: ? the fact that the interest rate and annual percentage yield may change, ? how the interest rate is determined, ? the frequency with which the interest rate may change, and ? any limitation on the amount the interest rate may change.

Compounding and crediting (? 230.4(b)(2)) An institution must disclose the frequency with which interest is compounded and credited. In cases where consumers will forfeit interest if they close an account before accrued interest is credited, an institution must state that interest will not be paid.

Balance information (? 230.4(b)(3)) An institution must disclose the following information about account balances: ? Minimum balance requirements - An institution must disclose any minimum balance

requirement to: a. open the account, b. avoid the imposition of a fee, or c. obtain the annual percentage yield disclosed.

In addition, the institution must disclose how the balance is determined to avoid the imposition of a fee or to obtain the annual percentage yield.

? Balance computation method - An explanation of the balance-computation method, specified in section 230.7 of Regulation DD, that is used to calculate interest on the account. An institution may use different methods or periods to calculate minimum balances for purposes of imposing a fee and accruing interest. Each method and corresponding period must be disclosed.

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? When interest begins to accrue - An institution must state when interest begins to accrue on noncash deposits.

Fees (? 230.4(b)(4)) An institution must disclose the amount of any fee that may be imposed in connection with the account (or an explanation of how the fee will be determined) and the conditions under which the fee may be imposed. Examples of fees that must be disclosed are: ? Maintenance fees, such as monthly service fees, ? Fees to open or to close an account, ? Fees related to deposits or withdrawals, such as fees for use of the institution's

ATMs, and ? Fees for special services, such as stop-payment fees.

Institutions must state if fees that may be assessed against an account are tied to other accounts at the institution. For example, if an institution ties the fees payable on a NOW account to balances held in the NOW account and a savings account, the NOW account disclosures must state that fact and explain how the fee is determined.

An institution must specify the categories of transactions for which an overdraft fee may be imposed. For example, it is sufficient to state that the fee applies to overdrafts "created by check, in-person withdrawal, ATM withdrawal, or other electronic means." However, it is insufficient to state that a fee applies "for overdraft items."

Transaction limitations (? 230.4(b)(5)) An institution must disclose any limitations on the number or dollar amount of withdrawals or deposits. Examples of such limitations include: ? limits on the number of checks that may be written on an account within a given time

period, ? limits on withdrawals or deposits during the term of a time account, and ? limits under Regulation D (Reserve Requirements on Depository Institutions) on the

number of withdrawals permitted from money market deposit accounts by check to third parties each month.

Features of time accounts (? 230.4(b)(6)) For time accounts, an institution must disclose information about the following features: ? Time requirements -- An institution must state the maturity date and, for "callable"

time accounts, the date or circumstances under which an institution may redeem a time account at the institution's option.

? Early withdrawal penalties -- An institution must state: a. if a penalty will or may be imposed for early withdrawal, b. how it is calculated, and c. the conditions for its assessment.

An institution may, but does not need to, use the term "penalty" to describe the loss of interest that consumers may incur for early withdrawal of funds from an account.

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